Pollination and Fertilization

In order to cope with arid terrestrial environments, angiosperms have evolved a unique fertilization way—siphonogamy. The success of siphonogamy requires several prerequisites, including the normal development of the female gametophyte and male gametophyte (pollen). Appropriate pollination methods ensure the successful encounter between pollen and the stigma. After pollen lands on the stigma, pollen/pollen tube interacts with different tissues and cells of the pistil, completing a series of male-female communications. The smooth progress of these interactions ensures that the pollen tube can enter the female gametophyte, burst, and release sperm cells to complete the double fertilization. In this chapter, we provide an overview of pollination and the interactions between male and female, comprehensively summarizing the factors involved in these processes.